The Helen B. Stirling

Hokitika Guardian, 26 January 1922, Page 2

The Helen B. Stirling

THE SAILORS’ NARRATIVE. A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. [IJY TELEGRAPH —PER. PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Jan. 25 The Auckland sailors of the H. B. Stirling state that tho trouble started early in the voyage. Two days after she left Newcastle, the gas engine for working the pumps broke down, and thereafter hand pumps had to be used to keep down the water from ordinary leakage, to which a wooden vessel is always subjected. Two days later a fire broke out in the forehold in a beam, but this was 1 promptly extinguished. On Saturday a strong gale sprang up from the east accompanied by a very heavy sea. That night it had increased almost to hurricane force necessitating the sails being double reefed and the vessel to heave to. The seas rose higher and constantly broke aboard, filling the main deck fore and aft. The only dry quarter in the ship was the forecastle head, and poop. The hand pumps, being situated on the main deck, were right in the wash of the pounding waves, which broke on board. It was impossible for the crew’ to man them

The labouring ship soon started extensive leaking and, in the absence of the pumping, sank lower in the water. Her position was hopeless at 5 a.m. on Sunday, when the main mast went by tho board, and it was then realised that the vessel would have to be abandoned. The main deck being flooded, the sounding of the pump well could not be gauged with any degree of accuracy, but it was estimated that there was not less than nine feet of w’atei in the hold, and at the time she was abandoned she did not have more than one foot of freeboard.

In the afternoon the crew gathered on tho poop and awaited the arrival of H.M.A.S. Melbourne. The boats had been provisioned on the previous evening and were ready in chocks on the poop to be manned in case of necessity. The idea was not to launch them, but to trust to the chance of their lloating clear if the vessel foundered. All through this day and the following night, however, the sea was so high that no one believed they would live for five minutes. THE NAVAL VERSION. Commander Ward Hunt, of tke Melbourne said that from the nature of the calls it appeared to be a race between our getting there and the schooner’s sinking. Unfortunately two of the signals we received fr®m the schooner gave two different positions, owing, no doubt, to the stress under which the operator was working. These positions were 80 miles apart. Our efforts wore directed to ascertaining which of the two was correct. Eventually about four o’clock we got a definite statement that the north-east position was the correct one. All the time we were going north ■he weather was becoming worse, and at midnight a gale was blowing and a high sea was running. The waves were breaking right across the schooner v hicii was now practically a. waterlogged ship, although her poop and forecastle were well above the water. The crew and ladies were perched upon the poop. The wind had eased somewhat and it appeared tiiat with careful candling, the crew could be taken off by one of the Melbourne’s boats, and, us it was considered the wind might :et worse at any moment, it was not thought wise to wait until dayligh|t. A sea boat was lowered from the warship, and got away from the ship with difficulty. On getting near the Stirling, and having studied the position, it ,vas decided that would be impossible to get alongside, owing to the seas breaking over her. The transfer by he breeches buoy was rapidly made. :'he ladies (said Commander Ward Hunt) displayed the greatest fortitude n the very trying circumstances. The difficult operation proceeded without a bitch. After two hours’ hard work, idle people from the schooner were safety aboard the Melbourne. Even the • •at was not forgotten. The return to lie warship with the heavily laden 12•ared boat, in a considerable sen, was accomplished without any great difficulty. As the craft came alongside the Melbourne, she was hoisted up in 35 seconds from the time they hooked on. The .rescued people were wet and cold, but, in a few minutes, were having mt’baths, and half an hour later they were in hod. They had a terrible time aboard the ship,.expecting death at any